About Kaufman County, TX

I always new that pricing and condition were key and I always stress that to my clients. This time it really paid off.

Here's the story. This past Summer I was in the grocery store with my 3 sons...which is always an adventure... and lady started talking with my sons or the other way around, I really can't remember. Anyway, I was just a few weeks into Brian Buffini's 100 Days to Greatness, so I was in the mode of meeting at least 5 new people a day.

The lady and I started chatting and she gave me a religious brochure and I in turn gave her my business card and stated that if she or anyone she knew ever needed to buy or sell a home, that I would love to help them. She immediately explained that she and her husband were considering putting their home on the market, but they had some personal things to take care of before they would make a final decision - maybe sometime in early Fall they would be ready.

She then proceeded to explain the type of loan she had, which was through the USDA Home Loan Program, I was slightly familiar with it, and that if she sold her home before a certain period that she would have to pay back some type of subsidy. Anyway, I offered to check into the program and find out what I could about her type of loan.

I immediately went home and mailed her a thank you card and also included one of my brochures as well as a Dress Your House For Success brochure. Well low and behold, a couple of weeks later, she calls me and says that she and her husband would like to go ahead and put their home on the market because her husband had just been laid off. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic because all of that walking up to strangers and striking up conversations had finally paid off.

I schedule the listing appointment, did my CMA and prepared my listing presentation and off I went to get the listing. Everything went smoothly. I asked for a tour of the home, took measurements while they told me about each room and then we sat down to discuss their MO. They needed to sell pretty quickly and was open to any and all suggestions that I had. They had previously read all of the material that I sent them, so their home was "show ready." After they signed the listing agreement, the husband tells the wife - who is frantic that she's going to have to keep her house spotless for an unknown amount of time - "not to worry and that we will have the home sold in 30 days tops."

Well it happend... on day 29 I got a call from a realtor who wanted to take his buyer to see the property. I was excited because we had only had one showing up until this point. Their showing was scheduled for 9am that morning and by 11am, they were calling me wanting to fax in an OFFER!!! Yippee!!! I thought, so here we go.

We get the offer and it's a fairly good offer. My sellers had some items that they were holding for negotiations and we countered back with those items and a slightly increased number. The offer was accepted the same night and now we have a closing scheduled for Nov. 24.

This has been the smoothest transaction that I've had thus far. The inspection went well, there were minor items that my seller agreed to repair. The appraisal has been completed and hopefully the lender doesn't request any other repairs to be made. So now I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that things continue to progress as well as they have.

I'm so used to transactions being worse than getting teeth pulled, that I'm a bit cautious about getting too excited. I just came off of a very challenging Short Sale, and to have a smooth transaction without all of the chaos, is a welcome event in and of itself.

Wish me luck.

P.S. Look for my Blog about the USDA Home loan Program.

11800 CR 313 - SALE PENDING!!!

MeLisa Minter, Realtor

www.homesmint2be.com

Windmill Farms Forney, TX

Owning a home with your signature on it defines who you are. Working with our outstanding builders, you can create the home you have always wanted.

Hundreds of designs, floor plans, options and upgrades give you the flexibility you'd expect from well-known builders like Woodhaven Custom Homes.

With prices starting from the $140's to the $240's you can easily select a home that matches your needs with your budget, comforted by the knowledge you are making a sound investment in your future.

Your friends will be envious. You'll be living!

For additional information and/or assistance finding your new home email us at suzanne@teamathey.com or visit our website at www.teamathey.com.

Windmill Farms Forney, TX

Owning a home with your signature on it defines who you are. Working with our outstanding builders, you can create the home you have always wanted.

Hundreds of designs, floor plans, options and upgrades give you the flexibility you'd expect from well-known builders like Woodhaven Custom Homes.

With prices starting from the $140's to the $240's you can easily select a home that matches your needs with your budget, comforted by the knowledge you are making a sound investment in your future.

Your friends will be envious. You'll be living!

Suzanne Athey is a native Texan who has watched Dallas and surrounding areas grow for more than 44 years. With more than 16 years experience in sales, leasing, property management, and being a real estate broker Suzanne has also received the prestigious CRS designation. As a Certified Residential Specialist she is among only 5% of the Realtors in the United States that has received this designation. Other designations would include GRI (Graduated of the Real Estate Institute), RPM (Residential Property Manager) from the National Association of Residential Property Managers, and C-CREC (Consumer Certified Real Estate Consultant) from the National Association of Real Estate Consultants. This is her professional commitment to stay abreast of the ever changing real estate industry. Suzanne exhibits her commitment to the Metroplex real estate market by her active participation in several professional organizations. She is a member of the Women's Council of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, Greater Dallas Association of Realtors, The Lake Cities Association of Realtors and was the 1994 President of the National Association of Residential Property Managers Dallas Chapter. She also teaches a continuing education class, "How to Manage Your Own Rental Property". Her experience in all parts of the real estate industry has taught her that the real estate professional who succeeds in today's market is the aggressive individual who can change as the market changes. As a marketing professional, Suzanne has proven that her ability and her continued concentration on customer service meets the primary needs of the property owners and buyers. Through teamwork efforts of a professional staff of three full time Buyer Specialists and two highly trained assistants, Suzanne is able to accomplish everyone's goal; "To get your home leased or sold for the best price in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of complications." Becoming YOUR PERSONAL REALTOR FOR LIFE is not only Suzanne's philosophy, but her by-word. So when your looking for buyers, tenants, or managers for your property, remember the only two names you need to know for success in your real estate venture . . . . . SUZANNE ATHEY and Re/Max HiNet-All Cities ! ! !

For additional information please email us at suzanne@teamathey.com or visit our website at www.teamathey.com

Do you currently live in the Forney, Texas area and can't sell your home because you're upside down in it?

With today's market, many people are finding themselves in this situation for whatever reasons. Some of you may be suffering from an ARM rate kicking in, others may be experiencing job loss, divorce or even job relocation issues.

If you are not familiar with Short Sales, you need to get familiar with it. According to Realtor.com, the term Short Sale happens when "a seller's mortgage lender agrees to accept a payoff of less than the balance due on the loan." But the key word here is ACCEPT. The lender has to fully approve the request and this will either determine the price you could list your home at or if offers are already submitted, determine the price the lender has to clear, not including any real estate or buyer's fees.

This Blog is not a "How To," it is merely a tool for basic information on what to expect if you find yourself in the predicament of needing to request a short sale. I would rather schedule a one-on-one conference to meet with you directly and assist you with assessing your Short Sale situation.

There are several stringent requirements you must meet in order to request a short sale. Some of the requirements include:

• First and foremost, get an experienced Realtor who has done short sales before.
• Be prepared to submit a Request to Release Information Letter, this request allows your realtor to speak directly with your lender in regards to the short sale request.
• Start preparing your Short Sale Package.
• Your package should include: A Financial Hardship Letter. And it had better be good, this is one of the most important items the bank will use to determine if you are eligible for a Short Sale. Contact me for advice on how to structure your financial hardship letter.
• Also be prepared to submit any Financials with your short sale package.
• Your realtor must also submit infomation on the Market Activity in your neighborhood as well as other information as requested by the lender.

I know this list may be short and to the point, but do not let that fool you. For an extensive list of what to submit with your short sale package, contact me and I will be glad to help.

Short Sales are grueling, time consuming and downright stressful. So be ready for a long and wild ride. The best thing to do to keep things in focus is to always be prepared and ready to submit any information that your realtor or the bank requests of you.

Here are some local Stats. on Forney Short Sales according to our local MLS.

There are currently 3 active listings in Forney with Short Sale Requests and 1 Sold listing since January 2008. This is a very good number because that means that there are not many short sales being requested in the Forney area. However, this number will probably change considering there is a lot of new construction going on in Forney. This will affect the value of your property especially if you have been in your home for less than five years.

Notice the Days on Market Number is 120+ days. That's because Short Sales are a slow process, especially if the request is not done correctly. That is why it is essential to obtain an experienced real estate professional and to be prepared and have all of your Short Sale Package information available and complete.

Short Sales are not really that scary, the worst part of course is the waiting for the approval. But this process is far better than having your home Foreclosed on and damaging your credit rating.

Again, this is not designed as a "How To," but as an informational piece to give you an idea of what to expect.

Call me and we can devise a plan and strategy to get your short sale request going.

MeLisa Minter, Realtor

www.homesmint2be.com

melisa@homesmint2be.com

For homebuyers looking to have it all nearby then Travis Ranch is for you. This community features a breathtaking terrain of breathtaking terrain and spectular view of Lake Ray Hubbard and, in the distance, the skyline of downtown Dallas. Travis Ranch offers residents:

 

• Only 20 minutes from Dallas
• Forney ISD
• Inline hockey rink, playground and pavilion
• Barbeque facilities, splash park and a pool
• Proposed lakeside park with amenity center

Starting at $140,000.00

Click Here To View Video

I would love to show you this beautiful community.

 

Randal Newhouse

972-234-2468

www.NewhouseDiscounts.com

TeamNewhouse@Gmail.com

The Finders: A much easier way to find real estate. Tell us what you are looking for and we will e-mail you the properties that fit your criteria the day they hit the market. No more hours of searching, only to find that the property is already sold or leased. No more having your information sold to a Realtor who will bug you for the next millennium. It's Easy and it's Free. "Dream Home Finder" "Foreclosure Finder" "Lease Finder"